Lock for convertible ottoman

ABSTRACT

1,111,985. Latches. CASTRO CONVERTIBLE CORPORATION. 1 Sept., 1965 [1 Sept., 1964], No. 37407/65. Heading E2A. [Also in Division A4] A latching device for an ottoman which is convertible into a bed (see Division A4) consists of a catch 50 mounted on a post 39 of the ottoman frame 24, and a detent plate 48 pivotally mounted at 52 on a plate 46 which is rigidly secured to a part 34 of a mattress support frame. A spring 28 is attached to plate 48 and urges it to rotate about pivot 52 in a direction to cause it to engage under catch 50. Counter-clockwise rotation of detent plate 48 is prevented by a post 54 secured to the mattress support frame. The latch is released by pivoting the part 34 counter-clockwise.

March 29, 1966 J. A. BRINDISI LOCK FOR CONVERTIBLE OTTOMAN Filed Sept. 1, 1964 INVENTOR JOSE/ H .4. 520v 27/5/ ATTORf q F 2 PRIOR ART United States Patent M 3,242,504 LOCK FOR CONVERTIBLE OTTOMAN Joseph A. Brindisi, Uniondale, N.Y., assignor to Castro Convertible Corporation, New Hyde Park, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Sept. 1, 1964, Ser. No. 393,578 4 Claims. (Cl. -36) This invention relates to convertible funiture; more particularly, this invention relates to ottomans convertible into beds. Still more particularly, this invention relates to lock mechanisms for such ottomans; that is, to mechanisms for securing the bed in its folded up condition to form the ottoman.

The convertible ottoman lock mechanism of the present invention is an improvement over that described in U.S. Patent No. 2,988,757, which is assigned to the same assignee as is this patent application. The disclosure of that patent hereby is incorporated into this patent application.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective, partially-broken away view of a convertible ottoman constructed in accordance with the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a cross-sectional, partially broken-away view of the lock structure used in the convertible ottoman of the above-mentioned U.S. Patent No. 2,988,757;

FIGURE 3 is a view like that of FIGURE 2 showing the lock structure of the present invention, the detent plate being shown just prior to making contact with the catch member as the bed is being closed; and

FIGURE 4 is a view like that of FIGURE 3 in which the bed is locked in its folded position.

The convertible ottoman shown in FIGURE 1 includes a mattress having a foot section 12 and a head section 13. This mattress is supported by a spring and wire-web mattress support indicated generally at 14. Mattress support 14 is in turn supported by a mattress sup port frame which is composed of an innner section 16, a connecting section 18, an intermediate section 20, an end section 22, and an auxiliary section (not visible) connecting the intermediate and end sections together.

The convertible ottoman I0 is shown in FIGURE 1 in its folded-up position. The frame for the mattress support 14 is pivotally mounted in an ottoman frame 24.

Ottoman It) has substantially the same construction as the ottoman shown in the above-mentioned Patent 2,988,757 except that the mattress of ottoman 10 has two sections instead of being integral, and except for the novel lock structure added by the present invention. The operation of ottoman 10, except for the novel lock structure, is substantially as described in that patent. Thus, to open the bed, the end section 22 of the bed frame is lifted upwardly and folded outwardly. When fully folded out, all of the frame sections 16, 18, 20 and 22 are aligned horizontally with the mattress resting on the mattress support 14, thus forming a bed ready to he slept upon.

To fold the bed up again, the end section 22 is lifted up and pushed inwardly. A spring 28 is attached between the end section 22 and the intermediate section 20 of the bed frame in order to aid in folding these two sections together.

As is shown in FIGURE 1, the lower section 13 of the mattress is folded over when the bed is folded up. Because of its resiliency in this folded condition, section 13 tends to open the bed and thwarts attempts to fold it. Thus, a lock is needed to hold the ottoman bed mechanism in its folded position.

FIGURE 2 illustrates the lock structure and mount ing details of the fold-up spring 28 as they are shown 3,242,504 Patented Mar. 29, 1966 in the above-mentioned Patent 2,988,757. The forward end of spring 28 is attached through a link 30 to the lower end of a plate 32 which is rigidly secured to side rail member 34 of: end section 22 of the bed frame. The other end of spring 28 is attached to side rail 40 of bed section 20 by means of a pivotally mounted link 42 (see FIGURE 1). When the bed is in its unfolded position, the spring 28 is stretched taut between side rail 40 and plate 32, thus exerting a strong pull between bed sections 20 and 22 in a direction such as to aid in the folding of the bed. When the bed is folded as shown in FIGURE 1, the distance between the points of attachment of spring 28 is reduced so that the tension exerted by the spring is considerably reduced.

A shoulder 36 on plate 32 is adapted to engage a leafspring catch member 38 to lock the bed in its folded position. Catch member 38 is mounted on an upright corner post 39 of ottoman frame 24 and has a horizontal portion positioned to engage plate 32. As the plate 32 descends when the bed is being folded up, the angular forward edge of plate 32 engages the horizontal portion of spring catch member 38 and flexes it outwardly. When catch member 38 reaches shoulder 36, the catch member snaps back into place to lock against shoulder 36, thus locking the bed in its folded condition.

The lock structure shown in FIGURE 2, through generally satisfactory, has several unsatisfactory aspects. First, in order to prevent the spring catch 38 from flexing under the strong upward thrust of the folded mattress, it must be made relatively stiff. Of course, this stiff spring steel member is difficult to flex. As a result, the bed is relatively diflicult to lock shut. Another result is that the relatively large forces used in locking the bed increase the rate of wear of the lock parts. Of course, the repeated flexing of spring catch 38 makes it subject to fatigue failure.

The lock structure of the present invention, which is shown in FIGURES 1, 3 and 4, overcomes these difliculties. It is much easier to operate; in fact, even a small child can easily lock the bed shut. Furthermore, no spring catch is required, thus simplifying the bed mechanism and making it less subject to malfunction. Thus, this lock structure admirably fulfills the objects of this invention.

Referring now to FIGURES 1, 3 and 4, the lock structure of the present invention, indicated generally at 44, includes a plate 46 which is like the plate 32 in FIGURE 2 except that the shoulder 36 is not provided. A detent plate 48 replaces the link 30. Plate 48 is pivotally mounted at the end of plate 46 and links spring 28 to plate 46. Secured to post 39 of the ottoman frame is an L- shaped catch member 50. In contrast with the stifi spring steel catch 38 required in the FIGURE 2 arrangement, catch member 50 is a simple piece of angle iron attached to post 39.

When the bed mechanism is in the position shown in FIGURES 3 and 4, spring 28 tends to pull relatively lightly on detent plate 48, thus tending to rotate the plate in a counter-clockwise direction about pivot 52. The pull exterted by spring 28 is light because, as explained above, spring 28 is relatively relaxed when the bed is folded or nearly folded.

A post 54 serves as a stop preventing counter-clockwise rotation of detent plate 48. Post 54 abuts plate 48 in a cut-out region indicated at 56. Post 54, similarly to post 55 (FIGURE 2), is used to pivotally connect link 58 of the bed mechanism to plate 46, Thus, post 54, like detent plate 48 and spring 28, serves a dual function, thereby further reducing the cost and complexity of the ottoman.

In operation, the inclined forward edge 60 of plate 48 engages the rear edge of catch member 50 and plate 48 is rotated in a clockwise direction about its pivot 52. When the uppermost edge of plate 48 has passed catch 50, the action of spring 28 snaps that uppermost edge to a position underneath the horizontal surface of catch 50. Thereafter, the upward thrust of the folded mattress section 13 forces the upper edge of plate 48 against the horizontal portion of catch 50. Post 54, which now is located between the pivot 52 and the position where plate 48 hits catch 50, stops the counter-clockwise movement of plate 48 that would result from the upward push of the mattress, thus locking the bed in its folded position.

Lock structure 44 unlocks in the same manner as the structure shown in FIGURE 2. That is, when end section 22 is lifted to unfold the bed, plates 46 and 48 both pivot in a counter-clockwise direction, thus allowing detent plate 48 to slip from underneath catch member 50 and allow the bed to be opened. During folding of the bed, plate 48 and spring 28 operate in the same manner as spring 28 and link 30 in FIGURE 2 and in the manner more fully described in the above-mentioned patent to aid in folding the bed.

It can be seen from the foregoing that the stiff spring catch 38 has been eliminated from the lock structure 44. The spring 28, which was used previously only for folding the bed, is ingeniously utilized in mechanism 44 both to aid in folding the bed and as a spring bias member for the detent plate of the lock mechanism. The detent plate 48 also is given a dual function, serving both as a portion of the lock mechanism 44 and as a link between spring 28 and plate 46. As mentioned above, post 54 also has a dual function. As a result of these improvements, lock structure 44 makes the ottoman far easier to lock, less costly to build, and less subject to malfunction.

The above description of the invention is intended to be illustrative and not limiting. Various changes or modifications in the embodiment described may occur to those skilled in the art and these can be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as set forth in the claims.

I claim:

1. In an ottoman convertible into a bed and including an ottoman frame, a mattress support foldably mounted in said ottoman frame, a mattress positioned to rest upon said support and be folded up with said support to form said ottoman, said mattress support including two sections biased to be folded together by a spring connected be tween said sections; an improved lock structure for locking said mattress and mattress support in folded-up relation, said lock structure comprising a catch member and a detent member pivotally mounted on one of said sections in a position so as to engage said catch member and lock said mattress and matttress support in folded position when said bed is folded to form said ottoman, said spring being attached to said detent member to bias said detent member into engagement with said catch member.

2. Apparatus as in claim 1 including a mattress support frame in which said mattress support is mounted, in which said detent member is pivotally mounted on said mattress support frame and forms a link between said spring and one of said mattress support sections, and in which said catch member is mounted on said ottoman frame.

3. Apparatus as in claim 2 in which said spring urges said detent member to rotate about its pivot in a direction such as to cause said detent member to engage with said catch member, and including a post secured to said mattress support frame, said post being positioned to prevent the rotation of said detent member in said direction past a pre-determined locking position.

4. Apparatus as in claim 3 in which said detent members has a surface adapted to be thrust underneath a horizontal surface of said catch member by said spring when said detent member is pushed downwardly past said catch member, said post being located between said pivot and the point of contact between said surfaces of said catch and detent members so that the upward thrust of the folded-up mattress thrusts said detent member against said post to lock said mattress and support in place.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,389,756 9/1921 Hanley 5-55 X 1,957,004 5/1934 Smith 555 X 2,785,416 3/1957 Bebry 536 2,988,757 6/1961 Hubbell et al. 536

FRANK B. SHERRY, Primary Examiner.

R. B. FARLEY, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN AN OTTOMAN CONVERTIBLE INTO A BED AND INCLUDING AN OTTOMAN FRAME, A MATTRESS SUPPORT FOLDABLY MOUNTED IN SAID OTTOMAN FRAME, A MATTRESS POSITIONED TO REST UPON SAID SUPPORT AND BE FOLDED UP WITH SAID SUPPORT TO FORM SAID OTTOMAN, SAID MATTRESS SUPPORT INCLUDING TWO SECTIONS BIASED TO BE FOLDED TOGETHER BY A SPRING CONNECTED BETWEEN SAID SECTIONS; AN IMPROVED LOCK STRUCTURE FOR LOCKING SAID MATTRESS AND MATTRESS SUPPORT IN FOLDED-UP RELATION, SAID LOCK STRUCTURE COMPRISING A CATCH MEMBER AND A DETENT MEMBER PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON ONE OF SAID SECTIONS IN A POSITION SO AS TO ENGAGE SAID CATCH MEMBER AND LOCK SAID MATTRESS AND MATTRESS SUPPORT IN FOLDED POSITION WHEN SAID BED IS FOLDED TO FORM SAID OTTOMAN, SAID SPRING BEING ATTACHED TO SAID DETENT MEMBER TO BIAS SAID DETENT MEMBER INTO ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID CATCH MEMBER. 